A CAF Champions League match between Ismaily of Egypt and Tunisia’s Club Africain at the Ismailia Stadium on Friday evening was abandoned in the dying stages due to crowd trouble, after a section of Ismaily fans threw projectiles in the pitch.
By the time the match was called off, the visitors were leading 2-1. Benson Shilongo scored for the Egyptian outfit but two penalties from Ghazi Ayadi turned the match on its head.
According to the regulations of African governing body CAF, Ismaily could face expulsion from the competition.
Trouble started immediately after Cameroonian referee Neant Alioum handed Africain a free kick after Yassine Chamakhi was tripped by Richard Baffour on the edge of the area, before changing his mind after consulting one of his assistants, awarding a penalty.
Hooligans, livid by the turn of events, started hurling missiles into the field after the penalty was taken, forcing a brief stoppage.
An attempt by match stewards, stadium security and police to restore normalcy having failed, officials deemed it necessary to abandon the tie.
Club Africain netted their first after three minutes when Chamakhi’s angled low shot came back off the post but Ismaily went ahead five minutes later, sparking wild celebrations in the stands.
Shilongo unleashed a superb volley, finishing a beautiful move created by left-back Tarek Taha.
The home side equalized on the 40th minute when Ayadi’s powerful spot-kick struck the keeper’s hands and went in after midfielder Mahmoud Abdel-Ati was punished for a handball.
Four minutes later though, Ismaily could have been in front after Osama Ibrahim volleyed just over the bar from distance.
The pace picked in the second stanza with both sides swinging their attacking flair but the match was later abandoned and as it stands Club Africain will be awarded the match and Ismaily should be prepared for sanctions from Confederation of African Football (CAF).
